They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:3
There will come a day when all this world as we now know it will come to an end. We do not know when. We are in the scripture given clues to that end. Just as certain as the prophecy of Daniel 11:1-35 were fulfilled; so shall the verses 36 onward be fulfilled.
the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Daniel 11:36
Out of all the conflict within the middle east, there will arise a King who will be appointed. He will rise to power over all the earth with the promise of peace and prosperity. His alliance and power will extend throughout the world including with Israel for a time. He will come at a time when people are so longing for resolution and peace that quickly they will follow. He will magnify himself above God and will bring prosperity and peace for a time.
I do believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church (all those who believe in Christ will be removed before the final 7 years of Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 9). That final 7 years will be with 3 ½ being with the newly appointed King bringing peace and prosperity to the world. There will be some on earth who will see the events, remember scripture and then be saved during the tribulation. For certain, we are told of the 144,000 Jews who will realize the truth, their eyes will be opened and they will be saved during that time. (Revelation 4:7). The final chapter of the book of Daniel eludes to this truth as well when Daniel is told that during this time Michael the archangel will protect those whose names are written in the book. Also, Daniel is told to seal the book and in the end times some would understand.
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book …Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. Daniel 12:1, 9-10
Half-way through those final 7 years, war will break out as this new King will be attacked. He will move into Jerusalem to set up his reign. At that time, He will proclaim a new mandatory religion in which he is to be worshiped and all other worship will be banned. Tribulation, terror, and destruction will reach a height never before known. Then Christ will return at the battle of Armageddon. He will establish His Millennial reign.
So, why is all this important to you or me?
[tweetthis]We need to remember the greater story in all that we do or say.[/tweetthis]
1. As we watch the events unfolding throughout the world; we must be drawn to realizing that the most important thing we can do is spread the gospel. All else in our life is trivial compared to this. That should affect how we respond to disagreements at work, home, and life. If I recognize that another’s eternity is at stake; then, my life should so reflect grace in a manner to draw the other person toward Christ. I cannot become petty in selfishly desiring to be right. I need to learn to be an evangelist by how I live, not by hounding with meaningless words.
2. We must be wise with scripture so that we can shine as the brightness of the noon day sun, drawing people out of darkness
3. For me, that is a large part of why I write. This website will remain years beyond me, so that God might use it to spread light, hope and the gospel story into lives even after I am gone. For that reason, I keep it paid for years ahead and I pay to have it translate into many languages through easy access translation tools.
4. God so richly allows us to share in His Glory by using our lives and our testimonies to bring another to the saving knowledge of Christ. He does not need me; yet, His most glorious act is the salvation. When He uses me, He has shared a part of that Glory with me. That is more grace than I could ever deserve. Those who spread the gospel and “bring many to righteousness are the stars forever and ever.”
CONCLUSION:
Every conflict, trial or sorrow we face is an opportunity for us to become a beacon of Grace, Hope and Love to a world in need of the Gospel. That is more important than anything else we do. We need to be awakened to the urgency of spreading the message of Christ as our first priority. We can only do that by living a life that demonstrates Him. Let us through prayer and bible study learn to be people who live a life that is a beacon of Grace to the world.
[tweetthis]Our life matters most when we realize that this is not our final destiny[/tweetthis]
[bctt tweet=”Everything else is trivial compared to spreading the gospel through demonstrating a life of grace.” username=”effiedarlene”]
Photo used by permission: https://unsplash.com/@albertorestifo
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.